Hydrangeas, planting and caring for which is not difficult, are amazingly diverse and beautiful shrubs. They are valued in ornamental horticulture for their extensive palette, variety of inflorescence forms, interesting bark, figured large leaves, abundant flowering, and unpretentiousness.
Hydrangeas belong (planting is described below) to an extensive family of hydrangeas, their genus is about 100 species. There are climbing, deciduous, upright, evergreen, heat-loving and frost-resistant, as well as tree and dwarf hydrangeas.
Hydrangea leaves are oval, with jagged or wavy edges, large. Depending on the species, the flowers are formed into inflorescences in the form of an umbrella, ball, panicle or cone. In the center of the inflorescences - fruiting small flowers, and along the edges - sterile large ones with 4 petals. Color can be cream, white, pink, blue, lilac, red, crimson and hot pink. The palette of one flower may consist of several transitional shades. The color of the flowers depends on the acidity of the soil (pink ones appear on alkaline soils, blue on acidic ones).
One of the most popular species is garden hydrangea. Planting it and growing itflower growers is very widespread, mainly due to frost resistance. The most valuable for growing at home and in the garden are the following types of hydrangeas: tree-like, serrated, sargent, petiolate, oak-leaved, paniculate.
Planting hydrangea paniculata, in principle, like other species, begins with the choice of soil. Preference is given to loamy structural and moisture-permeable soils, generously flavored with organic matter, with an acidic or neutral reaction. On alkaline soils, plants become ill from iron deficiency. In such a situation, it is necessary to acidify the soil or grow flowers in a tub. When planting, the plants are placed at a distance of about 2.5 m from each other. The dimensions of the pit are 50x60 cm, and the depth is 40 cm. Right before planting, the roots are shortened at the seedlings. After planting, water abundantly.
Very moisture-loving hydrangea plants. Planting them involves further moistening and mulching (chips, chips, bark, leaf humus, needles). In terms of lighting, hydrangea loves partial shade, but some species can grow with plenty of sun.
Cropping is very important for these colors. Too frequent, it leads to poor flowering. Proper pruning is to remove the old inflorescences to the first pair of he althy and strong buds. Excessive thickening can be avoided by cutting off a couple of weak, very dense or old branches at the root annually. It is advisable to prune in early spring, before the start of active vegetation. Panicle hydrangea cut offstronger.
Hydrangea propagates by non-lignified tops of non-flowering (young) shoots in summer and spring, by lignified cuttings during the cold season, and species plants by sowing seeds in unheated greenhouses in spring.
Many flower growers love to grow hydrangeas. Landing them is not so difficult, and care too. But, like other flowers, they are affected by various fungal diseases, downy mildew, and gray rot. Pests that affect this plant are aphids, weevil, sharp nose, spider mites.
In the garden, hydrangeas are often placed in very large groups, where plants of different species can be present at the same time. But large, overgrown mature bushes look great alone. Blooming hydrangea branches look great in a vase. And dried inflorescences are traditional elements of winter arrangements and potpuri.
